Web Site vs Web Application

WAP

WSP

Project structure

· It is a project just like other type of application projects (Windows Forms, Console, WCF, Database etc.). It can be references by other applications.

· Namespaces provided when new item added. For example, if you add new item called ‘About’ under ‘Account’ folder, the class name would be ‘About’ with ‘WAP.Account’ namespace.

· Class files (.cs, .vb) is located under any directory chosen as added.

· Projects are tied to a specific language. You may choose any CLI language to develop your project. If it is a cs project, then the project file extension is .csproj, if f# then .fscsproj, for example.

· There is no a project file associated. Site includes collection of items (page, user controls, sources, etc.).

· No namespace defined when new item added into the site by default, class names differentiated based on container names, if you add a new item called ‘About’ under ‘Account’ folder, the class name would be ‘Account_About’. That may lead incorrect CodeBehind and/or Inherits references due to copy-paste cases and the page will still build and work.

· Class files (.cs, .vb) is located under App_Code folder.

· Supports multi language partially (C# and VB only)

Development

· It creates one single assembly when build. To browse or debug for even one single page, all project must be build first and that wipes sessions and caches.

· Edit and Continue may be used for debugging when browsing the page – no need to restart the page.

· Syntax errors can be found in compile time.

· Built-in master page integration

· Include/exclude does not cause name changes

· Will enforce clean builds before check-in.

· Remember, each page produces its own assembly. Therefore, even though, you have some build errors on other pages, you can still keep browsing, developing, debugging your own page as long as your page and the components that it is depended on, works fine. Sessions and caches are available as long as worker process (WebDev.WebServer) running. This one of the biggest pros of using WSP. For example, if your project has 1000s of pages in your site, and you are doing some works page by page; you can develop, debug, and browse instantly.

· It may require good convention and check-in/out policies.

Testing

· Easier. Unit tests can be generated for any class in the project.

· MVC type of WAP is suitable for Test Driven Development (TDD)

· Not good for unit testing; unit tests can be generated for only classes under App_Code folder.

Build & Deployment

· It is pre-compiled already.

· Easier: one single assembly for whole application along with static content.

· Well integrated with TFS 2010 Build and Deploy features.

· TFS Build Templates can be customized specific to WAP.

· Web.config transformation supported (VS 2010 only).

· May need explicit pre-compilation

· Since no single assembly, you can’t use TFS Continues Integration and Nightly Builds features.

· Let’s you make quick fixes (if inline coded – yes I know it is spaghetti, but well, if it works for you, then why not use it) on production.

· It may be difficult to find circular references.